Spreading vision through Cataract care

| | Jamshedpur
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Spreading vision through Cataract care

Monday, 30 January 2023 | PNS | Jamshedpur

Cataract being one of the leading causes of preventable blindness remains a major public health problem in India. Cataract coupled with poverty brings in another dimension of the problem.

 

TSF has been working in remote and inaccessible areas of Kolhan region on various issues. One such issue that necessitates immediate and prompt action is treatment of old patients who are unable to see clearly. Sight is one of the greatest blessings on earth and being devoid of that blessing leads to complete disorder in a person’s life. 

 

Old age itself is a phase where a person gets inflicted with various physical ailments. Social and family relations, too, are not smooth in an old person’s life. An old person is considered as a burden by the family members.  Cataract adds another burden which requires immediate attention as long untreated cataract may gradually lead to blindness.

 

A complete helplessness occurs in a person’s life if he belongs to old age, from a remote area with lack of basic health facilities, lack of means of transportation along with a poor economic background.

 

TSF has been reaching out to one of those poor and isolated areas of East Singhbhum, Jharkhand and catering to the geriatric population who are on the threshold of losing eye sight.

 

Dumaria block of East Singhbhum Jharkhand is one of the poor blocks of East Singhbhum District with 53% of the population being agricultural labourers according to a study by Niti Ayog (Cover (jharkhand.gov.in)

 

With an objective to saturate the block from cataract, TSF has been working in Dumuria Block in FY 23. Dumaria has a population of 62,128 (Census 2011) and prevalence rate of cataract is 0.6% of total population. Accordingly, TSF will be operating around 370 cataract patients in order to make the block free of cataract patients. TSF has operated more than 250 patients till the month of December, 2022.

 

TSF conducts camps in various locations (mainly panchayat bhawans) of Dumuria block. TSF team reaches out panchayat heads called Mukhiyas in Jharkhand and schedules camps. Wide publicity is given through panchayat heads and other important leaders of the panchayats. Mike announcement is done a day before the camp throughout the panchayat and all villages focusing markets, village fairs or any other social gatherings.

 

On the scheduled day of the camp, TSF team visits the venue and selects patients with cataract through preliminary eye test. The selected patients are taken to Jamshedpur Eye Hospital for final test of cataract surgery. The selected patients stay overnight at TSF office and are again taken to Jamshedpur Eye Hospital for surgery the following day.

 

The old rural patients who might have never visited a town in their lifetime, let alone hospital and then again surgery in an AC fitted, high quality, technically equipped hospital setting.

 

The glow in the eyes of the patients post their surgery is something worth remembering for TSF employees. The immense showering of blessings is the ultimate achievement of this programme.

 

The operated patients are again brought back to the hospital after about 10 days for post-operative review. The operated patients return back to their villages and share their experiences with others in their communities and thereby opens the door for maximum needy patients.

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